Food preservelator

Abstract

An apparatus for the preservation and storage of perishable foods, the Food Preservelator prevents air from coming in contact with food, thus preventing decay and deterioration of the food. The invention may comprise a reusable, hard-shelled appliance into which food can be placed. On the door component of the invention may be a lever designed to lock the door shut, close and seal the front air vents and electrically activate a zero-pressure vacuum pump located on the back portion of the unit to extract air from inside the unit. When all of the air has been removed, the pump may automatically shut off. Vents on the front of the device can remain closed until opened by the door handle lever, which releases the vacuum within. A flexible gasket located around the entire perimeter of the door may be used to substantially guarantee a tight vacuum seal until the door and vents are opened via the door handle lever.

1 . A food preservation appliance comprising:
 a housing having an inner volume;   at least one vented door having a levered handle;   at least one sealing gasket;   at least one vacuum pump for evacuating said inner volume;   wherein said inner volume of said housing serves to store at least one comestible at a negative pressure, less than that of atmospheric pressure to promote preservation of said at least one comestible for an extended duration;   wherein said vented door encloses said inner volume and said at least one sealing gasket serves to seal said vented door to said housing to maintain said negative pressure within said housing; and   wherein said vacuum pump evacuates and maintains said negative pressure within said housing.   
     
     
         2 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 1  wherein said housing comprises a shell frame. 
     
     
         3 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 2  wherein said shell frame is shrouded with a vacuum sustainable material. 
     
     
         4 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 3  wherein said vacuum sustainable material comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         5 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 3  wherein said vacuum sustainable material comprises at least one composite. 
     
     
         6 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 1  wherein said vented door comprises a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         7 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of apertures are openable and closable via said levered handle. 
     
     
         8 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of apertures, when opened release said negative pressure from said inner volume upon operation of said levered handle. 
     
     
         9 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 8  wherein said vacuum pump is deactivated upon opening of said plurality of apertures via operation of said levered handle. 
     
     
         10 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of apertures, when closed cause said vacuum pump to be activated via operation of said levered handle thereby evacuating said inner volume to create said negative pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 7  wherein said sealing gasket provides a seal between said vented door and said housing when said plurality of apertures are closed. 
     
     
         12 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 10  wherein said vacuum pump is deactivated when said inner volume reaches said negative pressure of 100 kPa to 3 kPa. 
     
     
         13 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 10  wherein said vacuum pump is deactivated when said inner volume reaches said negative pressure of 3 kPa to 100 mPa. 
     
     
         14 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 9  wherein said levered handle activates an electric cutout switch to deactivate said vacuum pump. 
     
     
         15 . The food preservation appliance of  claim 1  wherein said food preservation appliance comprises cooling coils to store said comestibles. 
     
     
         16 . A food preservation system comprising:
 a food preservation appliance,
 having a housing, said housing having an inner volume and an enclosed shell frame; 
 said shell frame is shrouded with a vacuum sustainable material comprising a ferrous and/or non-ferrous material; 
 at least one vented door with a plurality of front-facing apertures; 
 a levered handle for slide-opening and/or closing said front-facing apertures; 
 at least one sealing gasket for sealing said food preservation appliance; 
 at least one vacuum pump for evacuating said inner volume; 
   a cooling system within or in communication with said food preservation appliance to coolingly-store said comestibles;
 wherein said inner volume of said housing serves to store at least one comestible in a vacuum environment to promote preservation of said at least one comestible for an extended duration; 
 wherein said plurality of front-facing apertures, when opened release said vacuum environment from inner volume upon operation of said levered handle; 
 wherein said vacuum pump is deactivated upon opening of said plurality of front-facing apertures via operation of said levered handle, said levered handle activates an electric cutout switch to deactivate said vacuum pump; 
 wherein said plurality of front-facing apertures, when closed cause said vacuum pump to be activated via operation of said levered handle thereby evacuating said inner volume to create said vacuum environment; 
 wherein said vented door encloses and defines said inner volume and said at least one sealing gasket serves to seal said vented door to said housing to maintain said vacuum environment within said housing; 
 wherein said vacuum pump evacuates and maintains said vacuum environment within said housing; and 
 wherein said vacuum pump is deactivated when said inner volume reaches a user-set negative pressure of between about 100 kPa to about 3 kPa or about 3 kPa to about 100 mPa to preserve-store said comestible in said vacuum environment. 
   
     
     
         17 . The food preservation system of  claim 16  further comprises a kit including said food preservation appliance; and a set of user instructions, 
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a food preservation appliance comprising the steps of:
 opening a vented door to preservingly store at least one comestible within an inner volume;   closing said vented door; and   activating a vacuum pump to evacuate said inner volume of said food preservation appliance to non-perishably store said comestible.   
     
     
         19 . The method of operating a food preservation appliance of  claim 18  further comprising the step of self-cooling said inner volume. 
     
     
         20 . The method of operating a food preservation appliance of  claim 18  further comprising the step of placing said food preservation appliance in communication with a cooling system.